The Landlord
by LovelyJuice
Summary: The summer after graduation, Bella moves into a new apartment, where it turns out her sexy neighbor also owns the building. The pull is immediate, and neither seem to be able to deny the connection. The only question is, will getting close make their complicated relationship even more so? Definite Bella/Edward sexiness in later chapters.
1. Chapter 1

**Welcome readers! I'm so excited to announce the beginning of a new story. If you've been following my in-progress fic, Divine Design, know that I haven't completely abandoned it, I just needed a muse, and my new muse led me here. I'll return to it soon, but hopefully I can entertain you with this fic in the meantime.**

 **Disclaimer: As you may have devised, I am not Stephanie Meyer, and I didn't make up Twilight. I just stole her characters for a short adventure of my own! :)**

 **If you like this chapter, review. I promise, the more reviews I receive, the more likely I am to sit down and write some more. I know, I'm a review whore! ;)** **Without further ado, please enjoy.**

 **The Landlord, Chapter 1**

"Ugh, what do you have in here? Bricks?" Angela groaned under the weight of the cardboard box. Bella smiled sympathetically at her friend, as she realized Angela probably picked up one of Bella's many boxes of books. Ben hurried over and rescued his girlfriend, while Bella traded her a much lighter box filled with linens.

Bella's two friends were helping her move into her new summer set up, an apartment she was subleasing from her former classmate Eric, who had graduated from their college the year before them. He was spending this summer in the most exhausting of ways, backpacking across Europe with his girlfriend Lauren. Although, Bella realized that she wasn't sure if it would be more exhausting walking across a continent, or having to deal with his simpering girlfriend; she couldn't help but giggle internally at Eric's conundrum.

"This is the last of it, Bella," Ben chirped happily, handing her a box from inside the truck. Bella wasn't surprised. She didn't consider herself a materialistic girl, so there wasn't much to move out of her dorm room at Sewanee College. She was happy to know she wouldn't have much trouble fitting all her belongings in Eric's place, since he'd put his personal items in storage while still leaving her the luxury of his bigger furniture.

Bella was grateful. She wasn't ready to buy herself a whole apartment worth of kitchen supplies and furniture. _Hell, I'm not even sure I'm going to like it in Nashville, so why bother putting down roots, right?_ She eyed her new home, a small but well-maintained apartment complex in the West End area of Nashville, Tennessee. Her new home.

The three college friends carried the last boxes upstairs, unloading them into the living room of her new digs. Bella looked around once more, assessing the environment. The place was clean, moderately spacious, and more importantly, hers and hers alone. She was so tired of sharing an apartment with a roommate, even if it was her dear friend Angela.

At that moment, she glanced over to see Ben placing a playful kiss on Angela's nose; they were cute, but you could only witness so much canoodling in your living room before you realized you needed your own space. _And a man of your own_ , Bella's traitorous mind piped in.

Bella shook the offending thought out of her head. This summer was not supposed to be about finding romance. She was here to work, and that's what she planned to spend all her time doing. Bella had worked multiple jobs and lived meagerly during college in order to save up a tidy sum of money so that after graduation, she could dedicate herself full-time to her one true love of writing. She had made some strong connections with several editors at popular online literary blogs as well as the Arts and Leisure editor at the local magazine in town called the _Nashville Scene._ They all encouraged her to write some pieces and send them in as freelance work, so she was crossing her fingers at the possibility her articles were up to snuff.

"Bella, are you sure you don't want to join us as we visit that winery in Franklin?" Angela shot Bella a puppydog expression, trying to urge her friend to join her and Ben for a wine tasting and picnic.

Bella smiled at the two of them, but shook her head as she yawned dramatically. _Crash a romantic date at a vineyard? Heck no._ "Naw, you two winos enjoy yourself. I'm pretty spent from the move, so I figure I'll just knock around here and organize some of my things. Anyway, we passed an Indian restaurant just up the street that's calling my name for some takeout later."

Ben and Angela nodded understandingly, though Bella thought she could sense a little excitement as they realized that their romantic afternoon would be theirs and theirs alone. Bella hugged them both warmly as they said their goodbyes.

"You sure you don't want to crash here tonight? I'm sure I could make up a bed on the couch…" Bella trailed off as she looked at the small loveseat and matching armchair. They weren't going serve as a bed for anyone but a couple of gnomes, and everyone knew it.

"We're good, thanks Bella. Ben booked us a suite at the Lowes Vanderbilt. We're going to have a nice and restful night before we take off early tomorrow for Louisville to visit Ben's cousins. But we're so glad we were able to help you move. I'm going to miss you!"

Angela looked close to tears, and Bella realized how much she was also going to miss her roommate. Even Ben, her most-of-the-time roommate, had been such a great friend to Bella. She blinked hard, and then brought them both in for a hug.

"I'm going to miss you both, too. I can't imagine meeting any friends as good as you guys." She pulled away in horror. "What if my neighbors are horrible?! Originally I was wondering if I'd make friends with them, but now I'm worried that they might be murderers! Or worse, show-tunes fans!"

Ben and Angela laughed and assured Bella that she'd make friends in no time. Angela gave her the stink eye when she warned Bella not to shut herself in her room and read all day, knowing her former roommate too well. "You're here for an adventure, Bella. You've got to go out and experience things. And people." She winked at Bella at her last command, clearly insinuating which kind of people she wanted Bella to "experience."

"Alright, alright. Enough of that, Angie," Ben mercifully interrupted, ushering his girlfriend to the door. "We're going to miss you, Bella, but you're going to do great. Good luck!"

And with that, Bella closed the door and her friends were gone. She was suddenly on her own, really on her own, for the first time. While she'd grown up an only child, she had always been surrounded by her kooky mom or protective dad. At college, she and Angela were thick as thieves, and when Ben met her roommate junior year, he was quickly brought into the fold. This was the first time Bella was living alone; she just had to figure out if she could hack it on her own.

* * *

Two hours later, twilight was beginning to set, and Bella had already scarfed down her Chicken Tikka Masala from her new favorite place in town, Bombay Palace Indian Restaurant. She'd placed the menu on the fridge, knowing she'd be calling them frequently for delivery. _Great, takeout for one, please? How pathetic._

Bella distracted herself from her thoughts by beginning to organize the bookshelves that flanked the rather impressive entertainment system Eric had left. She wasn't too sure she'd use the massive television or stereo system too often, but she was thankful the entertainment center provided row upon row of space for her books.

Just as she was wondering why she'd never noticed she had three copies of _Pride and Prejudice_ , she suddenly heard a chilling sound: her front door opening and a booming voice projecting into her apartment. "Yo, it's your turn, dude. We're coming for you!"

Bella whirled around, holding a hardback copy of _War and Peace_ in front of her like a baseball bat. In front of her, instead of a masked man with a gun as she'd feared, was instead a giant, grinning, baby-faced man holding a six-pack of beer and a St. Louis Cardinals foam finger.

The man spotted Bella huddling in the center of the room, and he immediately dropped the six-pack by the door.

"Why hello there!" He boomed gaily with a broad smile, clearly at ease in this apartment. "Who are you, little lady?" At her blank stare, he continued on, unfazed. "The name's Emmett, a friend of Eric's. We trade off where we're going to watch the Cards games; this is his week!"

"Um, hi." Bella squeaked, beginning to feel more at ease with the strange man in her apartment, but beginning to feel unsure why he was still sticking around. "Eric left already. He said he's going to visit his mom in New Hampshire before he and Lauren take off for Europe."

"Aw, dang!" Emmett pouted dramatically, his foam finger drooping comically beside him. "Yo man," he called out to someone further down the hall, "you were right, dude. Eric already left. Now we won't get to watch the game on his dope system." He looked so dejected, Bella almost felt bad for him at the moment.

Bella heard a returning voice in the hall respond, clearly getting closer as it approached her door. "Why don't you ever listen to me, Emmett? I told you I wrote down the dates correctly. You probably scared the shit out of our new neigh-" The new voice cut off as the owner materialized in the doorway and noticed Bella, now standing casually next to the box of books.

Bella's eyes widened as she took in what she assumed to be her new neighbor, according to his half-finished sentence. Though not nearly the size of the behemoth next to him…Emmett, she recalled, this man was tall and fit, and his simple outfit of jeans and a grey t-shirt hugged him nicely. He had a St. Louis baseball cap on, and as he removed it and ran his hands through his hair, she saw his hair was an interesting shade of copper. But the most startling thing about him were his eyes, which were currently locked on hers. They were a brilliant green, and she was only distracted from them by the subtle motion of him wetting his lips, which she had to admit, were delicious looking.

Bella shook herself out of her reverie, finally remembering her manners. "Hi," she said, approaching the two men at the door. "You're right, he did scare the shit out of me, but it's all in the name of baseball, so I can deal."

She grinned at a chagrinned Emmett, who at least looked apologetic for barging into her new home and scaring her half to death. He laughed at her friendly smile and clapped a firm hand on her shoulder, thumping her more forcefully than she expected.

"Ah, I was hoping our new neighbor would be fun. Lucked out!" He did a ridiculous little happy dance in his place, waving his foam finger in the air as he hopped around.

"I'm Emmett, the fun neighbor." He pointed to himself, still using the foam monstrosity as a surrogate digit. "This is Edward, the boring one." He jerked the finger toward Edward, who rolled his eyes at his friend's antics.

She looked at Edward, who extended his hand politely toward Bella with a warm smile.

"Hi, and welcome to the building. Eric mentioned he'd be getting someone to sublease for him. Glad to finally meet you…" He trailed off, clearly not knowing how to address her.

She stumbled, caught off guard by the attractiveness of his smile and the electric warmth of his palm in hers. "Bella," she finally got out. "My name is Bella."

"I'm glad to meet you, Bella." During this whole exchange, he'd had her hand in his in an extended shake, and she found herself wishing that he didn't have to let go. Thee strength and heat of his hand against hers was comforting. Finally though, his hand released hers, and the momentary spell was broken.

"Edward here is the landlord of your fancy new digs, if you can believe it," Emmett said, ruffling Edward's hair, much to Edward's obvious ire. "We live just down the hall, so if you need anything, just call him and he'll fix it right up. Don't call me though," Emmett laughed, "I'm useless with tools."

Then he paused, his eyes sparkling, clearly thinking about something dirty. "Well, Rosie says that I can use _one_ tool pretty well!" He nudged Edward and winked exaggeratedly at Bella, who blushed slightly at his raunchy humor.

"So, you're my...erm, the landlord here," Bella responded, glancing back at Edward and catching his intense gaze focused on her. "You're, um, younger than a typical landlord." Looking at him, she surmised that he was probably in his late twenties; he certainly didn't have the air of the college juveniles she was used to.

Edward smirked at her, and Bella felt butterflies erupt in her stomach. "Don't worry, Bella, you're in good hands. I'm a lot more experienced than you'd think." The way he said it, combined with the intensity of his stare, and Bella immediately felt her nipples harden under the lace of her bra. _What are you doing, Bella?_ she admonished her betraying body, but it didn't help.

Bella nearly forgot Emmett was still there, assessing the tête-à-tête between his friend and his new neighbor, until he burst their bubble with gusto.

"So, we came all the way here, and you do have the best entertainment system in the building…" The way he trailed off with a hopeful look in her direction, Bella knew immediately what the big lug wanted. Luckily for him, he was charming beyond measure—and his more stoic companion intrigued her—so she felt inclined to give Emmett what he clearly wanted.

Bella leaned down and grabbed a beer from the six-pack by the door. "Yes Emmett, you can stay and watch the game. Just don't expect me to become a Cardinals fan. I'll be a stalwart Mariner till I die."

Bella twisted the top off the bottle in her hands and took a swig of the carbonated liquid, keeping one eye on Edward to gauge his reaction to her recent invitation. He, of course, kept his return gaze steady, before bending down to retrieve the pack of beers and gesturing with his free hand to the waiting entertainment system. "Allow me to show you how this contraption works. Eric has all these damned remotes that make it impossible to work the first time."

Bella watched Edward work the television and surround sound, but she was far more interested in the flex of his muscles as he pressed various buttons and the hard gaze of his eyes as he scanned the channels for the game. She knew within five minutes she'd forget the entire process for activating the electronics, but she knew she'd have a much harder time getting her new landlord out of her mind.

 **So, what did you think? Can you see this going somewhere? Hope you liked it, and if you did, let me know!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Welcome back, readers! I hope you enjoyed Chapter 1, and that you enjoy this unusually quick update of chapter 2. I'm not usually this speedy, but you're reviews and follows inspired me.**

 **That being said, if you're one of those awesome people who favorited or followed this story, don't hesitate to drop me a brief review as well. I'd love to know what you liked about the chapter so I can include more of it in the future. Thanks!**

 **The Landlord, Chapter 2**

Monday afternoon, Edward was just finishing parking outside his building, returning from an especially rigorous session at the boxing gym he frequented. He had given it his all today, trying to clear his mind of the swirling thoughts that had occupied his attention all last night and into this morning.

What thoughts? His new neighbor, Bella, of course. Where did he start? She was a surprise, that was for sure.

When Eric said he had a friend taking over his lease for the summer, Edward hadn't even entertained the idea of a female replacement. Let alone, a female that looked like Bella. She was undeniably beautiful, with long flowing brunette waves, a lithe, lightly curved physique, and deep chocolate eyes framed in lush, dark lashes.

Edward groaned as he remembered her delicate little hand ensconced in his when they first met, and how reluctant he had been to let it go. Thankfully, Emmett was there to break the ice, for if his jovial best friend and roommate hadn't been there, he was afraid he would have silently stared at Bella the entire night, overwhelmed by her presence in front of him.

Just as Edward was climbing out of the car, cursing himself for allowing thoughts of his new tenant and neighbor to flood back into his mind, he was confronted by the very object of his musings.

In front of him, trying to open the building's front door with hands full of various shopping bags, was Bella. She made a comical sight, to say the least. Bella was clearly convinced she did not need to set down any of her wares in order to open the door, and was valiantly balancing, juggling, and straining in her attempt to fit the key into the lock.

"Can I help you with that?" Edward asked, approaching Bella from behind.

"Agh!" Bella whirled around, nearly slugging Edward in the stomach with a full Target bag. Her frightened visage quickly turned relieved as she recognized Edward in front of her.

"Jeeze, Edward. What is with the residents of this building and sneaking up on people? I'm sure I've aged fifteen years since I moved in yesterday!"

They both laughed, and Bella obviously forgave Edward quickly, because she allowed him to grab a few bags from out of her hands. He unlocked the front door and gestured for Bella to enter in front of him. He led them over to the elevator and pressed the up button, and they waited in baited silence. Though Bella only lived on the third floor, Edward figured lugging up these bags wouldn't be as easy as just catching a ride. _Especially after my workout_ , Edward thought to himself. _Oh God, speaking of workout, how sweaty am I still?_

As the elevator doors closed, he caught a glimpse of himself in the mirrored surface. His copper mop of hair was darker with sweat, and the cut-off sleeves of his Vanderbilt t-shirt revealed his glistening muscles. Thankfully, the drive home had cooled him down slightly, but he could still see the flush of his cheeks from the exertion he had given earlier.

After a moment, he realized that his were not the only eyes assessing his reflection. Bella, her hands still full of her bags, was letting her eyes do the caressing, tracing up his image reflected in the mirrored doors. Finally, her eyes reached his in the reflection, and they paused momentarily, holding each other's gaze in silent contemplation. Edward had to bite back the words he was wondering: _Did she like what she saw? Was she interested in seeing more?_

The two neighbors eventually made it up to the third floor and arrived outside of Bella's door. She paused momentarily, obviously nervous about inviting him in to her home, but having no other choice, as she needed his help with her purchases.

"Um, come in," she whispered, having unlocked and opened her door.

They entered together and placed all the bags on the table adjacent to the kitchen. Edward gazed at them all, wondering only one thing now: "What in the hell did you buy, Bella?"

Bella was so surprised by his abrupt question that she burst into nervous giggles. "Oh, you know how it is when you move. You always need to replenish on the essentials."

She started to unpack the bags, naming the items as she went. "Dishwashing liquid, hand soap, band aids, Windex, oh—" Bella stopped short and flushed bright red, shoving one box deep down into the bag on the table. Edward was intrigued. _What does she have in there?_

"Do you want something to drink? You look hot. I mean, sweaty. I mean, warm. Ugh, let me just get you some water." As she turned in embarrassment to the fridge to pull out the filtered water, Edward couldn't help himself. He _had_ to know what was in the bag, as rude as it was to pry. Though he guessed it was probably just some girly stuff like tampons or hair dye, her scorching blush made him think it could be something more…intimate. He looked up to make sure she was still digging through a box to find a glass, then he peered inside the bag for the quickest of glances. In reaction, his eyebrows shot up into his hairline. _Condoms?!_

Immediately, he felt wracked with a mixture of emotions. Lust, simply from associating Bella in his mind with the act of sex, shame for having given into his rude curiosity, and confusion… _who are those for? Does Bella have a boyfriend?_

Bella approached the table, handing him a glass of water. Her eyes locked on his, and he searched their depths, wondering if he could find any clues to assuage his curiosities.

"So, tell me Bella. Yesterday, you mentioned that you moved up here to write, but you didn't explain, why Nashville? Do you, um, know anybody here? A friend, or a boyfriend?" Edward asked in his most casual voice, but he internally cringed at how obvious he probably sounded.

Bella didn't seem to notice though, as she was too busy rolling her eyes in response.

"No," she sighed heavily, "no boyfriend. No friends either, unless you count Eric, though he's off gallivanting around Europe right now." She laughed, but her smile conveyed the fairest hints of loneliness, and Edward couldn't help but feel for her.

"You're brave, Bella, braver than me. I moved here to Nashville with my twin sister, Alice, when we both started at Vanderbilt. She is the co-owner of this building. Our grandparents left it to us when they passed, and we were lucky to be able to move into it and have a lot of our friends join us shortly after. I'm not sure what I'd do without her, or my group of friends."

As she smiled at his sentiments, Edward could discern just the faintest hint of sadness in her expression. He vowed then and there to be Bella's friend first and foremost. Sure, if something happened to move that to another level, all the better, but this girl needed a friend, and he felt he had to give her that at least.

"Your friends and sister sound lovely. At least, if they're anything like Emmett, I bet they're a great bunch."

Edward laughed. "No one is anything like Emmett. He's a different breed of cat, as they say. But yeah, they're great. I'm sure you'll eventually meet Alice and Rosalie. Though neither of them work the traditional 9-5, they don't work from home like you or me, so they've not really been around. Alice manages a quirky vintage shop downtown, while her roommate Rosalie, Emmett's girlfriend, is a carpenter, if you can believe it. She makes crazy shit, like custom doors and cabinets."

Bella's eyes widened in surprise at the information, but then narrowed in confusion. "You said you work from home? What do you do?"

"You mean when I'm not scraping together the pieces of this old place?" Edward winked conspiratorially at Bella, both of them smart enough to realize that while the building was no where near new, it was beautifully updated and well-kept.

"I'm a composer and musician. I mostly help songwriters in town put their lyrics to a melody, or sometimes accompany performers on their tracks in the studio. Recently, though, I've been working on teaching aspiring musicians the basics of piano and guitar. There are a lot of people who want to work in the music business in town, and it helps if you can play your own instruments as well."

"Wow, Edward," Bella said, sitting herself on top of the kitchen table, swinging her legs in excitement, "that's amazing. I wish I could play an instrument. I've always wanted to learn the piano, but I've never had the time."

Edward took in the adorable image Bella made, perched like a child on the table. Parts of her were certainly not like a child, though, he had to correct himself. For instance, the bandana that tied up her hair in a messy bun on top of her head revealed the elegant curve of her neck, which brought his eyes down to the gentle angle of her collarbone. She was wearing a sundress, and the slight V of the neckline drew his eyes even further down toward the valley of her sumptuous cleavage. There wasn't an abundance, but it was more than enough to entice his attention.

Feeling guilty for staring like a fiend at his new friend, Edward snapped his eyes away from her chest and rejoined the conversation once again. "You're interested in learning the piano? Why that instrument in particular?"

Bella shrugged, and then blushed faintly. "I don't know…something about it seems…" she trailed off, clearly too embarrassed to continue. Edward shot her an encouraging look, willing her to open up to him.

"You know, the way the musicians fingers caress the keys, all that beauty at their fingertips. It's sort of…sexy, in a way." Bella looked down at her hands, which were twisting in her lap.

 _Well._ Edward gulped hard, his Adam's apple bobbing painfully in his throat. That was not what he expected her to say, but it was exactly the right thing to have said to make his cock twitch excitedly in his shorts. His mind's eye suddenly flashed to an image of Bella, straddling him on his piano bench as he took her against the keys, their bodies coaxing beautiful notes from the instrument. He knew that wasn't how she meant the sexy comment, but he couldn't help how his body interpreted it.

Edward gulped his water hastily, simultaneously trying to quench the thirst she had left him feeling as well as taking a moment to reign in his inappropriate thoughts. Thankfully, the sudden sound of the buzzer in her apartment shocked him back to reality.

"Oh, that's my pizza!" Bella said, darting to the intercom to let the delivery guy into the building.

Edward straightened up, realizing that he was probably infringing on her dinnertime. "I should go and let you eat."

He was halfway through the open door before Bella caught his arm and stopped him in his tracks.

"Stay," she said. "I mean, if you want. I actually ordered way more pizza than I currently need. My ex-boyfriend Jacob was supposed to come help me unpack more, but of course he just flaked."

She started to ramble, and Edward let her; she was even more adorable on hyper speed. "We're trying to do the friend thing, but I'm getting the impression he's going to be a lousy friend now that he knows I won't…erm, well, now that there are no benefits for him, you know? And now I need someone to eat all this pizza, because goodness knows I won't be able to do it on my own, so…" She shot him puppy dog eyes, but it was really the protruding lip that got him. _What I wouldn't do to take that into my mouth_ , Edward thought deviously.

"Sure, Bella. I'd love to stay for dinner."

* * *

Two hours later, and one large pizza demolished, Edward and Bella had found themselves sprawled in the living room watching old Seinfeld episodes. Bella was lounging along the couch, while Edward was sitting on the floor, his back against the couch. This left his head resting against the couch cushion, just millimeters from where her hand rested.

With Edward's eyes trained on the television, Bella felt free to eye his unruly strands with intrigue. It all looked so soft, so full, so tempting to touch. If she had more guts, or even one flirtatious bone in her body, she might have allowed herself to run her fingers through it, consequences be damned. But instead, she'd inherited her father's reserved spirit, not nearly her mom's devil-may-care attitude. So there she sat, eyeing the silken strands on his head, the delicate curvature of his ear, the dignified profile of his face that lit up every time Kramer did something ridiculous, which thankfully, was often. As he glanced up at her, probably wondering why she wasn't laughing nearly as often as he was, she forced herself to fake a smile and a carefree laugh. That appeased him momentarily, and as he turned back to the episode, she mentally berated herself. _What the hell is wrong with you, Swan? He's your landlord, your neighbor, and your new friend. Maybe your only friend in town. Why in the Sam hell are you trying to mess this up with a stupid crush? Delicate curve of his ear?! Get it together, Bella!_

Bella urged herself to get into the episode, laughing more naturally this time as Elaine busted some ridiculous dance moves. They continued like this for a few more minutes, before the end of the episode signaled almost simultaneous yawns from them both. Edward glanced sheepishly back at Bella, stifling a second yawn. "It's getting late. I guess I should be going."

Edward stood up and stretched, his rising shirt revealing the slight V of muscle disappearing into his gym shorts. Bella was transfixed, wondering if he could do that just one more time so she could examine further whether that really was a trail of hair that led down to the promise land. But alas, he walked back toward the front door, to which Bella followed him like a hungry puppy.

"I had a good time tonight, Bella." Edward said softly, one hand resting on the doorknob, while another briefly touched the exposed skin of her elbow.

As he drew back his hand, she heard her voice respond, more hoarsely than she'd hoped. "Me too, Edward. Thanks for helping me with my bags. And helping me eat all that pizza." She giggled at her own words, remembering how he'd inhaled his first two slices, ravenous from the workout he'd completed just an hour before.

Edward laughed lightly in response. "Yeah, thanks for the dinner. I guess I was hungry after working up a sweat. Which reminds me. I am way overdue for a good scrubbing in the shower. I'll catch you later, Bella."

And before she could respond, he was out the door and halfway down the hall. Instead of belatedly calling out to him, she indulged herself by conjuring the image of Edward giving himself a good scrubbing in the shower in just a minute. With a groan, Bella leaned back against the closed door, wondering if it was shower time for her too.

 **Too forward? Too shy? Too something? Let me know. Just click that little review button and give me your feedback. Feed the ravenous review beast inside of me. :)**


	3. Chapter 3

**Welcome back! We're building the Edward/Bella tension, and hopefully (depending on how many reviews I can bleed out of you guys) I can take us from harmless tension to drool-worthy smut even sooner. You know what I want! :)**

 **The Landlord, Chapter 3**

Friday morning, Bella was trying desperately to wake herself up out of her writer's block. She wasn't sure what had caused this stupid phenomenon to interrupt her life, but she was determined to regain some control of her literary ability. After trying a myriad of things—a walk in a nearby park, rereading her favorite novel _Wuthering Heights_ , numerous naps, a trip to the library, a phone call to her favorite professor—nothing was doing the trick. So here she was in the shower, trying to wash away her frustrations, hoping to reemerge a more focused, more productive writer.

Just as she was washing the remaining shaving cream off her legs, signaling the end of her shower, Bella received an unpleasant surprise.

"Holy fricking Christ!" Bella cursed, jumping out of the shower and grabbing for her towel to warm her body up. Right there, in the middle of her luxurious, steamy shower, the water had suddenly blasted ice cold, attacking her body with needles of freezing water.

Shivering, Bella darted into her room and donned her silken robe, tying it tightly against the ever-present chill that remained in her wet hair. Furiously, she stomped to the fridge where Eric had left the number she was to call if something went wrong in the apartment.

As she punched the buttons on her phone and the line rang, she found herself muttering miserably. "No good, stupid, malfunctioning—"

"Hello, this is Edward."

Bella's eyes widened in shock, and she quickly snapped her lips shut, effectively cutting off the rest of her angry rant. _Of course this was Edward's phone number. Why wouldn't it be? He's the damn landlord and super, and it's his job to fix things around here._

Pregnant silence on the other line snapped her back into reality.

"Edward, hi! It's uh, Bella. Bella Swan. Your neighbor in 3B…" She trailed off, unsure how to continue.

"Bella, hi. I know who you are." Edward laughed lightly, and the sound sent off fireworks in Bella's stomach.

"Yeah, um, duh." _Stupid me._ "Anyway, I was just calling because my shower's hot water suddenly turned off, and it's pretty…cold. So I was wondering if you could help me out with that? When you have a free moment…or now…or whenever, you know…" _Stop rambling, Bella!_

"Sure, no problem. Let me just finish up with a client, and I'll be right over."

Bella sighed in relief, already feeling stupid that she was annoyed with the shower in the first place. _It's probably no big deal, and he'll be able to fix it up in a jiffy. Jeeze, Bella, stop being such a drama queen._

She gave herself just a minute to imagine Edward coming into her apartment to fix the shower. _Would he have to get in the shower? Would he get wet? Mmmm…wet Edward…_

Just after she shook the dirty thoughts from her head, and as she was walking to her room to don some more appropriate clothing, a knock at her front door startled her. She darted over and opened it, more than surprised to see Edward already at the door, toolbox in hand.

"Edward! Hi! What are you doing here?" _Why is my voice so high?_

His crinkled brow gave away his utter confusion. "You called me just a second ago. Your shower?"

Bella resisted the urge to smack herself in the forehead. "Yes, of course. I meant you're here earlier than I thought. I hope I didn't pull you away from your client." As she spoke, she opened the door wider, inviting him into the apartment.

"Oh, not at all. I was just walking him out."

Edward paused, and Bella flushed as she felt his eyes assess her current state of dress. "So, it looks like the shower punked out on you right in the middle, huh? That's, uh…unfortunate."

She couldn't be sure, but the way he gulped heavily just then made Bella feel like he had unspoken words in his throat.

Bella wasn't far off. Edward, on his part, was barely forming coherent sentences, more distracted by his current task of taking in the beautiful woman in front of him. It was clear that Bella had been interrupted in the middle of her shower. Her long brown hair was nearly black now, and it was pulled delectably over one shoulder, wetting the front of her silky red robe. Errant drops of water were trailing down her skin, and one in particular was commanding his attention. It had started up by her collarbone and was now traveling slowly down her chest, approaching the delicious valley between her breasts. He knew it would be rude to continue staring, but he couldn't help but want to see the drop disappear into the very terrain he wanted so badly to explore.

Suddenly, Bella shivered, but whether it was from the residual cold water dripping from her hair or from the intensity of the silent moment suspended between them, she was unsure. The result, however, was the immediate puckering of her nipples, which now pressed enticingly against the thin material of her robe. If Edward hadn't already been captivated, he was now. It took all of his strength, every fiber of willpower, not to drop his tool case and reach out to touch the protruding nubs, working them into frenzied pleasure.

"So, uh, why don't I take a look? It's probably your pilot light. I'll show you how to fix it in no time if this happens again."

Bella followed behind him, and in the usual fashion it seemed to be whenever she was with Edward, she spent the entire journey to the water heater mentally undressing him.

He was wearing worn black jeans, clearly a favorite pair as they had molded deliciously to his tight rear end and lean legs. His upper half was adorned in a fitted band t-shirt, likely one of the bands he'd helped out musically in the past. On his feet was a well-worn pair of Chucks. Bella couldn't help but stare at this enticing ensemble, wondering if he knew how addicting his style was to a sex-starved female such as herself.

Once in the hallway outside her bathroom, Edward opened the door to the water heater closet and knelt down, inspecting the pilot light, or lack thereof.

"Yep," he murmured to Bella, "it's out alright. Won't take me but a minute to get it back on. Pay attention, because you might need to know this one day if I'm not around." Edward winked up at her as he finished his sentence, but Bella's only reaction was dismay as she tried to imagine a time where he wouldn't be around. _Well, I don't like that scenario at all,_ she thought morosely.

For the next few minutes, Edward showed Bella which knobs to turn and dials to adjust, before getting ready to reignite the pilot light. He pulled a box of matches from his toolbox and quickly stuck one into a small flame. Bella's eyes flickered between his calloused fingers holding the match and his strong facial features illuminated in the small firelight. Both were incredibly attractive.

"Come here, Bella. Crouch down so you can see exactly where I'm lighting this." Edward scooted over a few inches, giving Bella a little room to squeeze in beside him, their heads touching as they strained to see under the water heater. His skilled hands quickly reached the correct position, and suddenly the match caught, resulting in a larger flame that burned bright blue in the small space.

Bella was so excited by the sudden success that she grinned broadly, turning her head toward Edward in an immediate attempt to congratulate. What she hadn't expected is for him to turn toward her at the exact same moment. Suddenly, their faces were far closer than either anticipated, their lips only inches apart.

Bella breathed in sharply and was suddenly painfully aware of her state of undress. The small scraps of fabric that made up her robe barely covered her kneeling thighs, and due to their prone positions, Edward's hands were only millimeters from touching the exposed skin, whether he intended to or not.

Edward was not as concerned with her legs though. His eyes were locked on hers, and she could guess the myriad of emotions he was feeling: at first proud of fixing the appliance, but then sober as he realized the precariousness of their situation. It was as if he was gauging the state of their physical proximity, measuring it on a scale of potential awkwardness to indescribable intimacy. Based on the change in his breathing as he glanced down at her exposed thighs, he was charting this moment far further on the intimacy end.

"Thanks, Edward," Bella whispered, and then when she heard the hoarseness of her own voice, she couldn't help but lick her lips in an attempt to remedy the situation. Edward's eyes followed her tongue, and she could have sworn she saw his eyes flutter closed for a millisecond, as if he couldn't control them. But then he was right back to reality, standing up and grabbing her hands to help her into to a standing position beside him.

"You're welcome, neighbor." Though it was meant to be friendly and benign, the way he said 'neighbor' made it sound the exact opposite of how Mr. Rodgers would address her.

"You really do help out a lot around here, don't you?" Bella started, attempting to refocus their conversation to the friend-zone. Despite the fact that it was the last thing she wanted from Edward, she would continue their platonic friendship forever if that is what she thought he wanted.

"Yeah," Edward responded, sighing and running a hand through his unruly locks. "There always seems to be something to do. Thankfully my job allows me the flexibility to do a lot of the work myself, cutting costs here and there. God knows if Alice was the one working from home, she wouldn't know the difference between a wrench and a table saw; you can imagine the devastation she would rain down."

Bella chuckled. She didn't doubt he kept busy. She'd seen him at least four times this week at various points around the building, fixing this or adjusting that. Whether it was changing out the light about the mailboxes, replacing the stripping around the front door, fiddling with the doorbell outside of 2C, or even changing Mrs. Cope's tire out on the street, he was a regular handyman. Suddenly, various porn premises flashed into Bella's head, and she shifted uncomfortably on her feet, wishing the inappropriate thoughts would stop momentarily so she could catch her proverbial breath.

"So," Bella mused casually, trying desperately to break the tension in the room, "when am I going to meet your so-called sister and friends? I'm starting to think you made them up, and it's really just you and Emmett here in town, making your little love nest down the hall."

Edward burst out with laughter, slapping his hand against his thigh with mirth.

"Oh," he weezed, still chuckling, "you'd better be glad my friend Jasper didn't hear that. He'd never let us live that down."

"Jasper?" Bella repeated, scrunching her face in confusion. She was sure she'd never heard that name mentioned before.

"Yeah, Jasper is Alice's boyfriend. He lives just down the street in a cool old Craftsman house he bought a while back as a fixer-upper. He's still doing a lot of renovations on it, which is why Alice lives here with Rosalie. God forbid she lives among some dust and rubble for a year."

Edward rolled his eyes at his sister's high-maintenance attitude, but the warmth in his voice conveyed the care he truly had for his twin.

"Either way, I'm sure you'll meet everyone soon. Alice and Rosalie have been blowing up my phone wondering when they'll get to get their claws into the new girl in the building. This place has been a sausage-fest for a while, and I'm afraid they've reached their limit."

Bella and Edward laughed as she walked him to the front door, pausing too long before reaching for the handle. _Is this like the moment at the end of a first date, when you play with your keys at the front door? Except, I doubt their will be a kiss for me tonight…_

Edward interrupted the silence, prolonging the conversation before he had to leave. "So, Bella, any fun plans for the weekend?" His inquisitive eyes searched her face, and Bella felt herself blush under the scrutiny, especially considering her answer.

"No," she sighed. "I'm afraid working from home in a brand new city does not really help in filling up a girl's social calendar. I guess I'll just curl up with a good book and a box o' wine." She prayed that her home-body plans were not screaming "cat lady" to the handsome man in front of her.

"What about you?" Suddenly, Bella realized something that hadn't even occurred to her until now. Her breath caught as she feared the answer to her next question, but she tried her best to come off sounding cool and casual. "Going on any hot dates this weekend?"

Edward barked out a harsh laugh, and Bella figured she had the answer she was looking for.

"If only," Edward replied. "Then maybe Alice and Rose would stop trying to set me up with every breathing female that lives within a thirty-block radius of this place. No, I haven't dated in a little while. I, uh, I went through a tough breakup a little while back, and I haven't really gotten back on the horse, so to speak."

The flash of pain in Edward's eyes made Bella's heart twinge for him. She knew how it was to go through a breakup. Even though hers and Jacob's relationship ended on neutral terms, the pain of losing someone important from your life was sometimes difficult to cope with. Especially, as she guessed based on his expression, if it was a nasty separation.

Bella placed her hand on Edward's bicep, squeezing gently to show her sympathy. "I'm sorry, Edward." She paused, unsure of how far to extend her condolences without looking like she pitied him.

"Well, if you ever need to drown your sorrows in an ungodly amount of wine, you know where to find it." Bella jerked her thumb to the counter where a giant box of wine sat, holding four bottles in its depths. It was sort of ridiculous to have that much wine for one person, but the convenience couldn't be beat.

Edward smiled at her invitation. "I might just take you up on that one day. Although, I don't believe in drowning sorrows. I prefer to toast to new beginnings."

He kept eye contact the entire time he said that, and Bella felt her insides melt a little at the sentiment. _What does that mean? What could that mean?_

Edward moved for the door, opening it to walk through. "I'll see you around soon, Bella. At least, I hope I will."

 **Hope you enjoyed! Let me know what you think!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Welcome back! :) This one is quite a bit longer, so I hope you enjoy it. We're getting closer to them making a move, but like real life, we're going to have to watch them flirt a little bit longer. Ack, the torture!**

 **Self-serving note:** **If you're anything like me, you judge a book by it's cover, which in fanfiction terms, means how many reviews a fic has gotten. If you like, favorite, or follow this fic, let me know in the form of a review, pretty please. The more it gets -the more readers - more this hungry author wants to write sexy Bedward scenes!**

 **The Landlord, Chapter 4**

"Come on, Rose!" Alice ran ahead, pulling the statuesque along behind her.

"I don't run, Alice," Rose replied as she strutted casually down the hall, checking her nails without a care in the world.

Alice sighed dramatically, tapping her foot as she waited for her roommate outside the apartment in front of her. Finally, when Rose sidled up next to her, Alice excitedly knocked on the door, waiting impatiently bobbing on the balls of her designer heels.

Bella heard a knock on her apartment door and nearly dropped her book in surprise, wondering who in the heck would be here to see her. _It can't be a friend stopping by_ , she realized with melancholy.

Bella walked to the door, tugging her tiny shorts down to an acceptable length. She peeked through the peephole, wondering who in the heck the bouncing ball of energy was that stood on the other side of the door.

"Hello?" Bella chirped curiously as she opened the door, for the first time taking in her visitor, as well as the additional woman standing off to the side.

The first woman was a small, energetic brunette, whose bright smile felt surprisingly familiar to Bella. She was donned in an adorable set of trendy overalls, paired with a tiny tube top and impossibly tall leather booties. Her close cropped hair was cut into an Audrey Hepburn-style pixie cut, which fit her tiny stature perfectly.

The other woman, who was standing more aloofly off to the side, was strikingly beautiful. Her long blond hair was tied into a casual ponytail, but her outfit was anything but relaxed. She was currently donning a tiny black leather skirt and a light-colored faux fur vest. Her wedges just added length to her ridiculously long legs.

 _Who are these models?_ Bella wondered incredulously, wondering if they knocked on the wrong apartment.

"Hi!" The smaller woman exclaimed, throwing her hands around Bella's shoulders and pulling her into a two-cheeked kiss, nearly surprising the shorts off the normally demure Bella.

"Alice, stop accosting the girl." Bella looked with wide eyes at the two of them. _Alice…that sounds familiar._

"Sorry! Hi, Bella. I'm Alice Cullen, Edward's sister! This is Rosalie Hale, my roommate, and the girlfriend of Emmett, who we heard you already met last week."

"Oh of course, Edward's sister. Hi, nice to meet you." Bella reached out to shake the tiny woman's hand, and then reached out to do the same with the woman she now knew as Rosalie. "Hello, Rosalie. I've heard a lot about you as well."

Rosalie returned the shake but rolled her eyes at the comment. "Don't believe everything you hear from that crybaby. The wall he shares with Emmett's bedroom isn't THAT thin."

Bella's eyes popped out, shocked at the insinuation that Rose was making about hers and Emmett's clearly robust sex life.

"No, he, uh, mentioned you're a skilled woodworker. That's awesome. And he said you manage a vintage shop, Alice. I'd love to come shop around sometime."

"Totes!" The little pixie clapped excitedly, barging past Bella into the apartment.

"Uh…please, come in." Bella moved aside, letting in the remaining woman in the hall.

"Oooh, Bella, it's nice in here! I always thought this place had a slightly funky smell when Eric lived here," Alice complained, crinkling her nose in disgust. "Look at all your books. Edward was right!"

"Oh, Edward talked about me? I mean, what did he say?" Bella's face burned as she felt Rosalie eye her speculatively.

Alice shrugged casually. "Just that you were intelligent, and that he was surprised he met somebody that had some taste for once."

Hearing the second-hand compliment from the current object of her nightly fantasies, Bella's blush only intensified.

"Well, um, that's nice. Anyway," Bella rushed on, hoping to take the focus off herself, "what can I do for you guys?"

"We're headed down the street to our favorite sports bar," Rosalie replied between swipes of lip gloss to her already shimmering lips. "We're tired of all the testosterone in our little group, so we figured we'd get another set of ovaries to join us and balance us out."

"Rose!" Alice exclaimed, shaking her head at the blonde's slightly inappropriate invitation. "So, as my eloquent best friend was saying, we were wondering if you wanted to come with us. There's a boring baseball game on, as per usual, and we were hoping to use the downtime as a chance to get to know our new neighbor!"

Bella could hardly contain her shock. "You want me to come out with you guys? Tonight?"

At Alice's energetic nod, Bella looked down at her raggedy appearance. Not expecting to see anyone tonight, Bella had donned her favorite pair of lounge shorts, Jacob's old Sewanee Track shirt, and her hair was tied back into a loose French braid.

"I'm, uh, not really ready."

Rosalie rolled her eyes, and before Bella could even blink, Rose was snatching the tie out of Bella's hair, quickly unraveling the braid and shaking out the brunette's locks with her elegant hands.

"There, done. Now, all you need to do is change. As you can see, it's casual." She gestured at outfit, and Bella wasn't sure if she the blonde was joking or not. _Is she really calling that runway ensemble casual?_

"Yeah, I'm happy to help! I'm sure Edward mentioned my knack for style!" She winked at Bella, knowing that Edward likely had never mentioned such a girly fact about his sister.

At Bella's hesitant nod, the three girls made their way into Bella's bedroom. The two stylish women immediately attacked Bella's closet while Bella perched at the end of her bed, amazed at how fast this whole interaction had gone. Bella fingered the soft waves of her now flowing hair. _At least my hair seems to be cooperating today._

"Here we go. Try these on!" Alice threw a pair of denim shorts at Bella while Rosalie handed her a white flowing top.

"Alice, these are my shortest shorts. I wear them around the house, if that!"

"Bella," the little woman responded with an annoyed sigh, "it's like, 90 degrees with 65 percent humidity out there. The only reason I'm not in a literal bathing suit is I was born in this swampy hell of the South. Georgia is twice as miserable as Nashville, so I feel practically chilly here. Trust us, you're going to want to be wearing as little clothing as possible."

Rosalie nodded sagely, pointing to her sleeveless vest and short skirt. "Case in point."

Bella sighed, realizing that fighting with these two women would not end well for her. "Alright, alright." She waited, eyes darting to the door and wondering when Alice and Rose would get the hint and give her some privacy to change.

"Oh Bella, stop being such a prude," Rosalie griped. She snatched Bella's shirt and before Bella could do a thing, the piece of fabric was already flying across the room.

"Besides," she said casually, as Bella stood shocked with her hands wrapped around her bare waist, "we've got to see what we're working with here. Figure out if what Edward said is true." She wiggled her eyebrows teasingly at Bella.

Bella sputtered, pulling on her blouse and quickly switching out her cotton shorts for the jean ones in Alice's hand. "What do you mean? What did he say?"

"Oh nothing…just that he might have mentioned how pretty you are." Alice's eyes sparkled in mirth. "We may have pestered him a bit more to get him to describe you. He was ever the gentleman, but we thought we might have a babe on our hands, and we weren't wrong! All I can say is _finally_. He can be such a stick in the mud sometimes!"

Bella was simultaneously embarrassed and pleased. _Was she ever going to be able to get rid of her perpetual blush around these girls?_ She wandered over to the full-length mirror and took in her reflection, trying to see herself from another person's perspective… perhaps Edward's.

Her legs, which weren't particularly long, looked lean and graceful for once in her short frayed shorts. The white cotton blouse flowed around her torso sweetly, but Rosalie made sure to vamp it up by coming over and pulling down the wide, stretchy neckline so that it rested below the shoulder line, effectively baring Bella's slim shoulders and delicate collarbone.

"There, now it's sexy enough to catch someone's attention," Rosalie drawled, but then paused, examining Bella's face with an air of scrutiny. Suddenly, she pulled out her lip-gloss and swiped it onto Bella's unsuspecting lips. "Hmmm, now we're ready."

Reassessing herself in the mirror, Bella couldn't blame the two women for the guerilla style tactics. _Damn, I actually look good._

She slipped on a pair of dainty tan sandals, not daring to attempt heels like Alice and Rosalie enjoyed. _Thankfully my graduation pedicure has stayed in tact,_ Bella mused, glancing down at her pearly pink nails that her mom had gifted her.

Minutes later, the three girls were descending in the elevator, and Bella finally allowed herself a moment for sheer nervousness. She wasn't just going out with the two girls that she was coming to really like…she was also going to be out with Edward. Who thought she was smart and pretty, according to his sister.

Finally, the doors opened, and Bella took a deep breath, fingering the neckline of her blouse that revealed just a hint of sexiness. She walked behind Rosalie and Alice, wondering who else would be joining them on their night out.

Edward, meanwhile, was chatting with Jasper by the building's front door. Their topics of conversation lately were generally renovation-centered. While Edward was no expert, he had done enough around the building that he could sometimes be a helping hand to his future brother-in-law.

"So, you're thinking about putting in some recessed lights to the hall bath?"

Jasper nodded. "What do you think? Do you think your electrician can give me a fair price?"

Emmett, who had been busy checking baseball stats on his phone, interjected. "Yo, man, why don't we just do it ourselves? Between the three of us men, why do we need some fancy pants professional?"

Edward and Jasper, the only two of the group who had a handy bone in their bodies, looked at each other for a moment before bursting into laughter.

"Emmett, it's almost tempting to let you try to rewire my house, just to see how fried your eyebrows would be once you surely got electrocuted, but I'll pass…don't want to do the paper work," Jasper deadpanned.

Emmett huffed, sure that he could McGiver together a working lighting system, but his complaint was stopped short as the elevator doors opened before him. His wolf whistle clued Jasper to glance up, but Edward, who had his back to the elevator, decided to give the men a moment to ogle the two women coming out. H didn't need to see that, especially since one of them was his twin sister.

Jasper leaned into Edward. "Man, you didn't tell me your new wet dream was joining us tonight."

Edward's brows furrowed in confusion for a second before the proverbial light bulb nearly exploded over his head. Immediately, he whirled around, wondering how the hell Rosalie and Alice managed this situation.

Thankfully Edward was on solid ground, because he nearly could have fallen over at the sight before him. Bella, who he'd only seen in the most casual of encounters— _unless you count the wet silk rob situation_ —was standing only a few feet in front of him, wearing a summer ensemble more tempting than he could have created in his imagination. Between the cutoff shorts, the flowing white top, and the shoulder-baring neckline, she was a mix of innocent, casual, and sex.

Bella caught his eyes, and her own widened a bit and as her head cocked to the side, probably wondering why he was staring mutely at her like a maniac.

"Ahem," Edward cleared his throat awkwardly, much to the delight of his entertained friends around him, "Bella, hey. It's good to see you."

She flushed and looked down at her twirling hands. "I hope it's okay that I join you guys. Alice and Rosalie kind of…forced me…" She whispered the last part, but her smile, and those of the two cunning culprits to either side, showed that none of them really cared that they'd kidnapped her for a night out.

"Yeah, it's great!" _Why am I yelling?_ "I mean, it's cool." _Smooth, man._

"Bella, this is Jasper, the love of my life." Alice pulled the handsome stranger toward Bella, wrapping herself around his free arm as Jasper reached out like a gentleman and shook Bella's hand.

"Pleased to meet you Bella. I've heard wonderful things." Jasper's southern twang and gentlemanly demeanor immediately won over Bella, who giggled uncharacteristically.

"It's nice to meet you too. Edward says you are renovating a house nearby. I love historical homes. I grew up in a historical craftsman, actually. Is yours similar? I've seen a lot in the area."

Edward watched as Jasper's eyes lit up, nodding eagerly as he began to tell Bella all about his baby, which he loved nearly as much as Edward's sister, which was a whole lot.

Edward felt his chest puff up with a smidge of pride, looking at how his beautiful Bella got on flawlessly with his core group of friends. _My Bella? Dude, where did that come from. Edward, get your head out of the damn clouds._

Just as Edward was turning for the front door, signaling that they should get a move on to the bar, Emmett called for him to stop. "Hold on, dude. Mike's on his way down."

Edward groaned to himself, rolling his eyes at the mention of the unwelcome guest. It's not that he necessarily disliked his downstairs neighbor, Mike Newton. It was more a grudging acceptance. But tonight was the first night he would not be fifth wheel to his four best friends, and he was hoping for some one-on-one time with Bella. And Mike, who was a notorious ladies' man to say the least would certainly do as much as possible to ruin any possible flirting potential he had with his new neighbor

"Who's Mike?" Bella said, looking at Emmett.

"He lives downstairs, in 2B. Like me, he works for Vanderbilt, though not in the athletic department. I think he does something with their development department. Anyway, I ran into him in the hall today, so I invited him out. So play nice, Eddie," Emmett said the last part directed towards a slightly grumpy Edward. Rosalie and Alice giggled at the comment, clearly enjoying where the night was taking the group.

Bella, polite as she was, didn't pry into why Edward would have to be reminded to play nice with his tenant and neighbor. She simply watched Edward carefully as she heard thumping steps coming down the stairs across from her, knowing that it was likely their new invitee, Mike Newton, coming down to join the group. Edward caught her searching eyes, holding them for a moment with lasting intensity, before their moment was interrupted by a loud greeting.

"Yo, Cullen!" Mike exclaimed, thumping Edward hard on the back in an eager hello.

"Mike," Edward nodded, forcing a polite smile on his face. "Glad you could join us."

Though he was convincing enough for a smiling Mike, Bella could sense the slightest of frustration in the set of his jaw. _What is this all about?_ she thought to herself.

"And you must be Bella, the new girl next door. Or, in my case, the girl on top of me," Mike winked lewdly at Bella, who simply had to laugh out loud at his completely inappropriate greeting.

Mike laughed with her, reaching out to shake her hand. "No, seriously, welcome to Nashville. If you ever need someone to show you around, just let me know."

Bella, who was determined to be open and friendly tonight, her first night out on the town in her new city, shook his hand in return, giving him a smile and a nod. "Thanks Mike, it's nice to meet you."

Edward quickly piped up from the front door, wanting to get this show on the road, and hopefully separate his two single neighbors. "Shall we head over? The game is just starting."

Edward held the door open, letting Bella breeze past him. Her perfume wafted faintly into his senses, and he was sure he smelled the slightest scent of orange blossom. Finally letting all of his friends out and onto the sidewalk, he jogged to catch up with Bella, who was currently being berated with questions from an inquisitive Mike.

"So, where did you grow up? How did you make down to Nashville?"

Though Edward wasn't a fan of seeing Mike command a conversation with Bella, he figured he'd use this opportunity to listen closely, as this was all information they'd never discussed in their few interactions together.

"I'm from Washington State, a small little rainy town on the coast. I went to school at Sewanee College, just east of here. I just graduated last month, and I decided to take over Eric's sublease and see a little of the big city. Or what is a big city to me, at least."

Edward and Alice laughed at her statement. Having come from a suburb of Atlanta, they knew what a big city was like. And Nashville, despite being the capitol of Tennessee, was by no means a typical city environment. The set up of the neighborhoods and frequent mix of the residential areas into the cityscape made it feel like a big, bustling town. While there was lots of culture and things to do in Nashville, even beyond the touristy downtown honky-tonks on Broadway, everything still felt unique, intimate, and easy. That's why they'd both decided to stay after graduating from Vanderbilt two years before.

"Cool. I'm from right outside Louisville," Mike stated, "and I went east as well to University of Tennessee. Go Vols!" The entire group, sans a more polite Bella, rolled their eyes at his orange pride.

"But you're going to like Nashville. Lot's of places to eat and drink. Including where we're headed now to see the game. It may just be a typical sports bar, but Jeds is an old favorite for our building."

Mike was right in his assessment. Their apartment building was within walking distance to Jeds, their neighborhood sports bar. They were lucky in more respects than that; situated close to Vanderbilt, Centennial Park, and a short ride to every neighborhood in the city, including down the street from the honky-tonks on Broadway, their neighborhood of West End really was a great place to live, with lots of things to do and see within a stone's throw.

Within minutes they arrived at the bar and snagged an upstairs table on the deck within view of a TV showing the Cardinals game. Rosalie and Alice, as Bella had suspected, were not big sports fans, so they immediately ordered beers and started talking to Jasper about his latest renovation plan, the downstairs bathroom. Mike was engaged in the game, but only because he was a major baseball fan, having played in college. Emmett was the real Cardinals fan in the bunch, a trait that he shared with Eric. Both Emmett and Eric grew up in St. Louis, which is how Eric came to live down the hall from his childhood friend post-college. Edward though, was an enigma for this game. Bella had thought he was a Cardinals fan, having sported the hat during the last game they'd hijacked her TV for, but as he mentioned to her after ordering, he was really a Braves fan, having grown up just minutes from their stadium.

"I wear the hat to appease Emmett," Edward explained to Bella after she'd asked him about his allegiances. "As long as my Braves aren't playing St. Louis, I'll give in to his stupid superstitions. He makes me wear it every time the Cardinals play away, since unfortunately a few times in college, the Cardinals squeaked out a win while I was sporting the hat he'd given me."

He continued after Bella's laughing died down. "I obviously refuse to wear it when they play the Braves, of course, and thankfully I don't have to wear it when they're at home. I'm sure he has some other ridiculous superstition for those games. Lucky underwear, or something equally as dumb."

Bella burst into laughter at Edward's comment, picturing Emmett wearing a pair of Cardinal-printed skivvies for every home game they played. She was glad that Edward wasn't forced to wear the hat tonight. Though he looked great in whatever he wore, tonight his hair was allowed to be free, and it looked especially nice in the light of the setting sun.

Bella took a moment to appraise the rest of Edward over her beer menu as he debated with Mike over the quality of the local breweries in town. He was dressed for the warm weather in a pair of khaki shorts and red lace up Vans on his feet. On top he wore a blue short-sleeved Henley, and the buttons on the collar opened slightly to reveal just the hollow of his strong neck. She shivered slightly, wondering what would happen if she just pressed her lips lightly to the indentation. _Would he moan, or would he gasp? Would he push her away, or would he pull her closer?_

Two hours later, and the game was 3-1 in favor of the Cardinals. Mike, who had clearly had a few drinks before he joined the group, was easily on his fourth beer and displaying all the signs of passing tipsy and heading toward Drunksville.

"Bella," he slurred lightly, placing a hand on her leg and leaning in close. "Do your—" he paused, composing himself, but just barely, "I mean, do you want another beer?"

Bella leaned slightly away from his face, which was expelling warm beer breath too close to hers. "Um, I'm good, thanks."

Bella glanced at her second beer, which was nearing empty. Truth was, she actually could go for another drink, but she wasn't really relishing the idea of Mike buying it for her. He was probably harmless, and she was sure he was an alright guy, but his ability to polish off that many beers in such a short time span turned her off, as did his uninvited hand on her leg. _I wouldn't mind a hand on my leg, but just not Mike's,_ she thought grumpily.

Edward, for his part, was watching their interaction closely. He sat across from Bella, and through the grated slats of the table, could see Mike's hand resting on the smooth skin of Bella's leg. His jaw clenched painfully, and he squeezed the arm of his chair until his knuckles showed white.

Jasper, who had always been good at reading people, saw Edward's frustration at Mike's drunken antics. He looked around the bar, clearly looking for something, or someone, in particular. Luckily, with Mike's past, it didn't take long.

"Mike," Jasper said to the man sitting next to him, distracting Mike so that he pulled his hand off Bella's leg. "Look who it is over there. Isn't that the girl from the Halloween party at Eric's? Lauren's friend Jessica?"

Mike perked up as he glanced over to the bar, where a pretty curly-haired blonde was taking shots with her friends. She giggled loudly, jiggling the cleavage that was prominently on display in her low-cut t-shirt.

Bella perked up as well, seeing where Jasper was going with this. "Ooh, she's cute, Mike," she said to him, as if he wasn't just trying to hit on her one minute before. "You should go buy that pretty lady a drink."

Mike, who clearly had the attention span of a cocker spaniel, smiled and waggled his eyebrows at the group. "Oh heck yes. I wonder if she still has that naughty nurse costume."

And with that, he was off, approaching the women at the bar and buying them all another round of shots. Jessica looked pleased as punch to see Mike, and Bella was glad they seemed to be two peas in the same weird pod.

Edward glanced at his own empty cup before looking up and speaking to Bella, "I'm going to go grab another beer from the bar outside; it's a little less crowded. Do you want to come check it out and see the rest of this place?"

Bella smiled and nodded, happy to have a break from the loud and packed upstairs area, where most of the big sports fans had settled. She hopped out of her chair and followed Edward down the stairs, emerging into a large, lightly populated front patio with a covered outdoor bar.

Edward pulled two stools over to the end of the bar, gesturing for Bella to sit and then doing the same.

"Hey Tyler," Edward greeted the familiar bartender. "Two Yazoo Dos Perros, please." Bella grinned, glad he remembered she'd enjoyed his recommendation of a good local beer.

"So, it looks like my sister and Rosalie have taken a shining to you," Edward remarked, referencing her addition to the group outing.

"Yeah, they were nice to invite me out. Even if the invitation did involve involuntary nudity on my part." Bella rolled her eyes at the memory of her sartorial attackers and barely caught Edward nearly choke on his beer at her comment.

"Ah, ahem, yeah, they can be bulldogs sometimes. But they wouldn't have invited you out if they didn't like you, so that's good news. They're cool girls. And of course, Alice brought Jasper into the group, so we're all glad for that."

Bella nodded, clearly having enjoyed meeting Alice's lanky blonde boyfriend. She loved Emmett's 'bull in a china shop' attitude, and didn't even mind Mike that much, if you didn't count the leg groping. The whole group of friends was shaping up to be just that, friends, and she was happy to join them.

"Yeah, it's nice to be out and about finally. I thought I'd never get to see the town. Even if I do have to be out drinking with a 'stick in the mud,'" Bella teased, referencing the name his sister had called him earlier that night.

Edward groaned with annoyance, clearly knowing where that nickname came from. "I don't know why she insists on using that name still. Sure, I was a little…focused…in college. Some might have said a little uptight. But I like to think I've loosened up in the past couple of years."

She arched her eyebrow at the man in front of her. "Prove it." Bella grinned as she wondered where this newfound feeling of confidence was coming from. _Maybe from this third beer_ , she wondered. _Or maybe from the way he is looking at me right now…_

Edward's eyebrows raised in response to her challenge. _Prove it? What does she mean?_

"Hey, Tyler is it?" Bella called out to the bartender. "Can we have two shots of Jack over here?"

Bella wasn't sure what she was doing. She wasn't normally a big drinker, but she was so curious what Edward was like completely loosened up. Since she'd only had two full beers, she figured that she could handle a little of the hard stuff.

Tyler poured out two dark brown shots in front of Bella and Edward, chuckling at the slight electricity between the two of them. As a bartender, he could almost always pick out what was happening between two people, and he knew that if something wasn't going on between Edward and the brunette next to him, there would be soon.

Edward picked up a shot and handed it to Bella, returning her flirtatious smile with a smirk of his own. Bella crossed her legs tightly, squirming in her seat at his crooked lips.

Once Edward held his own shot, he turned toward Bella, and their bare knees touched. It wasn't the first time they'd had skin-to-skin contact, but something about their position, the activity they were about to partake in, and the placement of their touching skin made it feel more intimate than ever.

"So, you want me to prove that I can have fun?" He held up the shot in his hand. "This is child's play Bella. I could do this every day of the week. If you want to really see me let loose, you'll have to be a little bit more creative."

Edward watched Bella's mouth open slightly, as if tasting the words coming out of his mouth. Her cheeks were slightly pinker and her eyes were tracking him as if mesmerized.

"But until then," Edward continued, "let's see if this works."

He clinked his glass against Bella's, and together they each raised the amber liquid to their lips, throwing it back in one giant gulp. Edward allowed only the tiniest of grimaces, but Bella hissed her displeasure.

"Gah," she gasped with a shiver and a giggle. "I always forget how much it burns."

Edward laughed, placing his shot glass on the bar top and grabbing hers to do the same. He threw down a couple of bills on the bar, nodding to the bartender.

He grabbed Bella's hand, rubbing his thumb along the top of her hand. "You ready to go back up?"

The way he said it, and the way he rubbed for a moment longer against her skin, told Bella that going upstairs to rejoin everyone else was the last thing he desired. She felt the exact same way.

Instead she nodded, sliding out of her seat and reluctantly pushing her now free hand into the pockets of her shorts as she followed him up the stairs.

 **Gah, when will they just make a real move?! Those frustrating flirts!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Enjoy, enjoy! Let me know what you think!**

 **The Landlord, Chapter 5**

"So, nothing happened last night? Even after I played interference with Mike?" Jasper's incredulous voice made Edward cringe, especially because he knew that Jasper's shock was less potent than Edward's own dismay.

Edward took a sip of his coffee, looking around at the people milling through the crowded coffee shop. As he savored the hot drink in his hands, he thought about what was going though his head the night before as he walked Bella to her door.

"I froze, man. I'm her landlord, for God's sake. And her neighbor. There's about a million ways shit can go sideways, you know? And I don't know, she is just so young, and new to the city. I honestly don't want her to feel like I'm preying on her, or taking advantage of her. And more importantly, what if she only stays the summer? She doesn't know her plans yet. What if we start something great, and then she just up and moves home in the fall?"

Jasper's surprised face hinted that Edward's explanation was more longwinded and emotional than he'd expected.

"Dude, there's something to be said about just going for it. First off, you have to remember that Bella's an intelligent adult, and she can make her own decision, so you definitely wouldn't be taking advantage of her." Edward nodded in understanding, realizing that Jasper was certainly right about that fact.

Jasper took a sip of his coffee, and started in once more. "And secondly, what are you doing already thinking about the end of the summer? Why don't you try having fun for the time being, and worrying about the future when it comes? Man, are you sure you've loosened up since college?"

Edward laughed, leaning back in his chair feeling more relaxed than he had all week. Of course Jasper was right. _Why am I over thinking this thing with Bella?_

As they exited the coffee shop and made their way to their cars, Edward stopped and put his hand on Jasper's arm.

"Hey, Jazz, thanks for helping me get my head on straight. Just don't tell Alice about all of this, alright? I don't want her to get any wild ideas in her head."

"Yeah, she can get big plans going in no time if we're not careful." They both laughed, and they shook hands and parted ways for the day.

As soon as Jasper got into the car, he put his phone to his ear, already hearing the ringing on the other side. He loved Edward, which is why he was going completely ignore his earlier request for confidentiality.

"Hello?"

"Hey Ally Cat…I have some news you might like to hear."

* * *

Bella stood in front of her mirror, first on her left leg and then on her right. Left. Right. Left. Right. Like many females, she was doing the age-old test to determine which shoe looked best with her outfit. Frustrated, she kicked off both shoes and flopped down onto her bed, blowing the hair off her face.

 _What am I even doing?_ she thought with ire. _I've dressed myself just fine for twenty-three years; I can do it again tonight._

Bella glanced quickly at her watch and then hopped up in surprise. "Shit!"

She raced around her room, slipping into the heels by the bed, hoping that the cork wedges attractively accented her dark blue sundress decorated with white daisies. Angela had taken her shopping for some summer dresses during spring break, and she was glad she finally had the guts to wear the form-fitting dress.

She glanced at the note in her hand, reminding herself of the details that Alice had slipped under her door yesterday evening.

 _Hey Bella! The group is getting together for a little dinner party tomorrow night to welcome you to the building. It'll just be a small thing, me and Jazz, Emmett and Rose, and of course you and Edward. If you just want to bring a bottle your favorite wine and yourself, that's all you'll need!_

 _See you tomorrow at 8. Remember, Edward's apartment, 3A._

With only five minutes til 8, Bella swiped a final bit of lip-gloss on and double-checked herself in the mirror. _Not too shabby, Swan._

Just as Bella was grabbing the bottle of red that she had bought this morning, her phone rang, and Alice's name popped up.

"Hey Alice, I'm just on my way over to Edward's. What's up?"

"Oh Bella, I'm so sorry, but we're not going to be able to make it tonight."

Alice's voice sounded so upset, Bella put her wine down on the table in surprise.

"Oh no, Alice, what's going on?"

"My car started smoking, and I'm all the way across town. Jasper is coming to pick me up and take me to the dealership, which is closing in just 30 minutes. I can't wait til tomorrow, because I have to be at work early, and—"

"Alice, Alice, it's okay. I'm sorry about your car. But no worries. Emmett, Rosalie, Edward, and I will have fun, and you can join us when you finish."

"Okay, great! You guys have lots of fun!"

Alice was off the phone before Bella could even say goodbye, but Bella didn't think anything of it, figuring she'd just see Alice and Jasper later after dinner.

Bella took a deep breath and stepped through her front door, locking her door behind her and walking up the hall to 3A. She let out the breath she'd been holding and urged herself to knock. She wasn't sure why she was so nervous. Though there would only be one more couple there tonight, she knew this wasn't a double date. Edward and Bella just happened to be two single friends having dinner with a couple of other friends who happened to be dating.

The knock on the door startled Edward out of his irritation as he read the message on his phone. He pocketed it and moved to answer the door, knowing it wouldn't be Alice and Jasper because his sister had no problem just waltzing into his house without warning. Knowing the object of his current affection was on the other side of the door, he allowed himself a moment to compose himself before answering.

"Bella, hi," Edward said as he swung his door open. Thank God that he'd gotten out his greeting before he fully took in her appearance, because he wasn't sure he'd have words left over once he saw her. _She is so stunning_ , Edward thought as he appraised her smiling form.

Bella was in the most delectable sundress, which hinted at the form of her body under it. Her long legs looked that much longer in her tan wedges and her painted pink toes tempted him more than he would like to admit. Her hair was pulled up into a casual ponytail and the skin of her neck beckoned him in closer. Thankfully, just as he was about to give in and place his mouth below her ear, her greeting broke him out of his reverie.

"Hey Edward, thanks for having me over. This is for tonight," she said, handing him the bottle of wine.

"Thanks Bella. Oh man," Edward said, realizing she was still standing in the hall outside his apartment. "Please come in."

Bella entered and looked around his place, which reminded him that this was the first time she had been in his home. He liked the look of her here.

"Mmmm," Bella moaned, breathing in the smell coming from the kitchen. "It smells wonderful in here. Can I help you with anything?"

Edward led her to the kitchen where various pots were cooking and the oven was keeping something heated. The smells really were delicious, and from her amateur cooking skills, she could see that he had prepared a caprese salad, the tomatoes from the summer harvest looking large and plump, as well as some delicious looking pasta bubbling on the stove.

"I'm actually nearly done, but thanks." He handed her a wine opener. "Why don't you concentrate on opening this wine, and I'll get out the plates and cutlery? Oh, and Emmett just texted me. Apparently he forgot he had a Vandy baseball game that he has to work tonight, and Rose is going to go with him to watch. So it looks like it'll just Alice, Jasper, you, and me."

Only silence met his statement, and he turned toward Bella with furrowed brows. Imagine his surprise as Bella turned to him, eyes wide.

"Bella, what's wrong? It's fine, Emmett does shit like this all the time."

Bella looked at him and then glanced around in shock at the tablecloth, the lit candles, wine, and delicious Italian meal in front of her before locking eyes with the man in front of her, comprehension in her eyes.

"Edward, who planned all this? The candles, the wine, the menu?" She asked him, putting the pieces together.

"Alice, of course, with a little of Rose's input. They begged me to have it here for some reason, but I'm glad because I don't really love Alice's cooking." Confusion still colored his expression as he answered her question.

"Edward, Alice isn't coming. Neither is Jasper. She just told me before I came over here. Something to do with her car. And now Emmett has work, and Rose decided to go with him…"

Understanding dawned on Edward's face, and then his expression darkened as he smacked his hand on the counter. "Damn those girls! They set this up on purpose."

The slight frustration in his voice took Bella aback. Quickly she moved toward the front door, reaching for her purse. "I'm sorry, Edward. Clearly this makes you uncomfortable. I'll just go."

As she reached for the doorknob, a strong hand on her forearm stopped her short.

"Bella, wait. Please wait. I'm sorry, it's old habit to get mad at them for meddling in my love life." He pulled at her arm and turned her toward him, her body coming to rest close to his. "What I should have said is how fine this is. Actually, how great this is, and how I very much want to still have dinner with you, if you're still interested."

The sincere look on Edward's face, his firm hand wrapped around her bicep, and the intoxicating smell of his musky cologne mixed with the spicy aroma permeating the apartment took Bella to a new height of sensory overload. She barely had the presence of mind to nod, whispering her assent.

"Yes, I'm still interested."

* * *

"Oh my God, Edward," Bella moaned, licking her lips as her eyes rolled in pleasure. Edward watched her with stormy eyes, and he felt a loan moan rumbling in his throat in response to her euphoric expression.

"Edward," she whispered, looking him in the eye, "How did you make it so good?"

"It's a gift," he winked at her. "No, actually, it's the roasted garlic. It's what adds the depth to the pesto."

Bella's eyes widened. "Of course! That's what I'm tasting."

She took another bite of the gnocchi, eternally hungry for the delicious dinner. Paired with the garlic bread hot from the oven and the complex flavors of the red wine, dinner was near orgasmic.

Bella had survived off of dorm food and cafeteria fare for most of the last four years, and it had been a while since she'd had such a delicious home-cooked meal. Neither her mom nor her father had inherited the cooking gene, so even going home didn't deliver such gourmet fare.

Edward took a sip of his wine, and Bella was momentarily distracted from her food by the set of his jaw and the bob of his throat as he swallowed. His lips were slightly darker from the stain of the wine and she wished she could lick off the stray wetness that lingered on the bottom lip.

Sooner than she wished, they were finishing up dinner. Bella stood up to clear the dishes, but Edward jumped up to stop her.

"Don't worry about it, Bella," he pleaded, not wanting her to feel obliged to help clean.

"I'm happy to help clear the table, at the very least. And, you may not know this about me," she began as she walked a few dishes to the sink, "but while I'm not the best chef, I'm an especially talented dishwasher."

Edward laughed and conceded, gathering up a few more plates to bring to Bella, who was now filling up the sink with sudsy water. Standing next to Bella, Edward submerged his hands in the soapy water, joining her in cleaning the many pots from dinner.

"So, you say you're an excellent dishwasher, huh? What else should I know about you?"

"Well, Edward, I would love to tell you more about myself, but let's wait until after we finish the dishes. I have a little game in mind."

The unexpectedly flirty tone of Bella's voice enticed Edward, and quickly he helped her finish scrubbing the dishes. Quickly, they fell into an easy rhythm, trading quick quips and friendly banter. By the time the sink was clear and the kitchen clean, both were relaxed and comfortable with the other, and it was the obvious choice to grab a newly opened bottle of wine and take it to the couch where they now settled side by side.

"So, what was this game you were thinking, Bella?" Edward asked, pouring her a glass of wine and leaning back against couch cushion.

"Never Have I Ever," Bella said, raising her eyebrow at her companion in a clear challenge. She had learned freshman year in college and thought it was a fun way to get to know new friends. And she really wanted to get to know Edward better.

Edward laughed. "Wow, I haven't played this game in years. Alright, what are the terms?"

Bella raised her glass into the air, indicating the wine was an important part of the game. "If you've done whatever the other hasn't, you have to drink."

"Ladies first"

Bella thought for a moment fore her eyes lit up. "Okay! Never have I ever…ridden in a limo."

Edward laughed and took a sip of his wine, answering her questioning gaze with an explanation.

"Prom, senior year. I was trying to impress my date, Tanya." Edward rolled his eyes, sighing at the memory. "She ended up going home with my teammate, Davis, anyway. Guess the limousine didn't do the trick."

"My turn, I guess," he continued, thinking for a moment. "Hmmm, got one. Never have I ever broken up with someone."

Bella was surprised. She imagined Edward had plenty of experiences with women, and that would have to include breaking a few hearts. She realized that meant that his last relationship must have ended on the girlfriend's accord. She hurt for what he went through. But of course, she also had to drink, because she'd been on the giving end of that exchange just recently.

After she finished sipping, she felt compelled to explain. "My ex, Jacob…I ended things with him around sixth months ago. I took him home with me for the Christmas holidays, and of course, my father was all, ' _What are your intentions with my daughter?_ ' We'd been together for almost two years, but after all that time, I still never felt like we were no more than good friends. All of the pressure for marriage helped me realize that I didn't want any of that with him. So, I ended it."

As Edward nodded solemnly in understanding, Bella's head cocked to the side, suddenly remembering something. "Actually, technically I also broke up with Jonathan Zaminski after he pushed me off the swings in third grade. So I guess I better drink again."

Edward laughed at the image of a little Bella exacting revenge on the little terror of a child.

"Okay, my turn. Never have I ever…" she paused, gazing at Edward with a glint in her eye. "Never have I ever made out on the first date."

Edward gulped, realizing that Bella was taking the game on a different track, and he was eager to see where it was going to go.

He took a sip and then shook his head at Bella. "I just can't believe it. You must have driven all of your dates crazy."

Bella guffawed, rolling her eyes at Edward. "All of my dates? Hardly. But the few that I've had never really blew me away on the first date. They were never worth a kiss."

Edward searched her eyes, trying to gauge her opinion of him on their first date. _Did she lump me in with them?_

"Alright, your turn Edward," Bella nudged him with a smile, and her hand against his arm gave him more confidence.

"Never have I ever…" he paused, unsure of moving forward, but curious to see where she was willing to take this. "Never have I ever kissed my next door neighbor."

Bella blushed, and her glass stayed firmly on the table. But then she took a deep breath, clearly gathering courage to say something.

"I have to say, I'm a little surprised," Bella whispered. "It's not like I think you're a player or anything, but look at you. I can't believe that none of your female tenants haven't tried something."

Edward laughed, and the movement of his body reminded Bella just how close they were sitting. "Oh, it's not that they haven't tried," he said with a chuckle. "But I've never wished for anything more."

Bella stayed silent, gathering that he had more to say.

Edward took a final sip of his wine, but then placed his glass on the table. He surprised Bella by grabbing her glass out of her hand and placed it next to his, replacing her glass with his hand. Bella gasped, watching his movements with rapt attention.

"Now…you told me that you've never kissed on a first date, and neither of us have ever kissed a neighbor."

The look on her face encouraged him to continue.

"I was..." he took a deep breath. "I was thinking we could remedy both those situations."

Edward's voice was slightly hesitant, as if was unsure of her response. But he needn't have worried. Edward's words ignited a fire in her veins, and Bella couldn't help it when she leaned into his touch.

"Um, that sounds…" she cleared her throaty whisper, "I like the way that sounds."

Bella's baited breath left her in a whoosh as Edward's hand came to rest against her jaw, stroking his thumb against the smooth skin. "Bella," he breathed, and she nearly melted at the sound of his voice, rough with desire.

"Edward," Bella responded.

That was all he needed. Instantly, he swooped in, capturing her lips lightly with his, pressing the soft skin against her own.

"Mmmm," Bella breathed into his kiss, and the sound encouraged Edward to continue the kiss. His feather-light touch against her mouth was accompanied by his warm, rough hand rubbing against the line of her jaw. The innocence of the kiss ironically stoked the fire already burning in her body, and she couldn't help the force with which she returned his kiss.

Edward's lips felt like they turned up in a smile for the briefest of moments, before he slanted his mouth against hers. He was delighted to feel her respond by diving her hands into his hair, moving closer against his touch.

Suddenly, Bella felt her limited ability to breathe leave her entirely, and she became dizzy out of her mind at the feeling of Edward's lips traveling sensuously down the column of her neck, trailing goosebumps up and down her skin. She gasped headily, trying desperately to bring oxygen to her senses. _This is too good_ , she thought incoherently.

"God, Bella," Edward groaned, leaning forward into Bella so that her back was pressed into the arm of the couch. Her supple body yielded easily under his, and her grasping hands only pulled him closer, running up and down his arms and back. On one particular stroke, Bella felt her hand brush against the smooth skin of his lower back, inches of which were exposed as his shirt slid up from her touch.

The feel of her warm, smooth hands on his body broke Edward out of his spell, and he wrenched his mouth away from hers, leaning back abruptly.

"Bella," he said, his breathing labored and his eyes nearly all black pools. "Maybe we should stop."

Bella, who was dazed and trying to collect her thoughts, quickly reacted. She sat up, scooting back away from Edward like a wounded animal.

"Um, of course. Sure. I should probably go, actually."

Edward grabbed her hand as she tried to stand. "Wait, Bella! Let me explain."

Bella stilled in her place, breathing deeply as she tucked an errant hair behind her ear.

Edward pressed on. "I like you, Bella. A lot. And I really like kissing you, and more than anything I'd like to continue doing so."

Bella smiled and blushed, thinking the exact same thoughts as the man in front of her.

"But," Edward continued, rubbing his thumb against the top of her hand, "I feel like I should take you home right now. Because if we continue, this won't end here." The sound of his voice and the gravity of his words caused a shiver to run through Bella, her nipples puckering against her dress.

No matter how much she wanted him, Bella knew Edward was right. She'd never even kissed on the first date, and a moment ago, she wouldn't have minded if he'd taken her right there on the couch.

"You're right. We should definitely slow down." Bella smiled, standing up and pulling on his hand. "Walk me home?"

Edward jumped up, intertwining their fingers as he walked her to the door. Their silence was comfortable, just as her hand felt in his, and he was sad the walk only lasted a few seconds.

"Thank you for an amazing night, Edward. I guess we'll have to thank Alice for her devious plan, huh?" Bella laughed at his grimace, knowing it would be difficult for him to admit that his sister was finally right.

"I guess so! Well, good night, Bella. Sweet dreams." Edward leaned in toward Bella, grazing the lightest of kisses against her lips, and then waited as she opened the door, entered, and closed it once more.

 **Thoughts?!**


End file.
